In Western society, the term Geisha has many misconceptions as a result from a difficult and ever changing past. The most common misconception is that a Geisha is a Japanese prostitute, which is untrue. A Geishas job is to entertain through conversation, dance, classical music, and games. While in the past it was common for an apprentice Geisha’s mizuage [a word they used to describe their virginity] to go to the highest bidder, this practice has been illegal in Japan since 1959. Before 1959 prostitution was legal in Japan and so you could find Orian wandering the streets, who wore an appearance similar to Geisha. The way one would tell them apart was that Orian would tie their obi in the front as it was easier to dress and undress quickly in this manner. A real Geisha will always have her obi tied in the back, as it is traditionally worn.
An apprentice Geisha is called a Meiko and she will usually start her training when she is fifteen, but back in around World War 2 a Meiko may start training as early as at the age of three! However, a girl is not called a Meiko until she has finished her training. Once a girl starts her training she moves to live in a okiya with Meiko, Geisha, and an older woman whom they call Mother. Mother is a woman who is sometimes a retired Geisha that pays for girl’s training. The girl must then repay her debts to her Mother once she becomes a Meiko and Geisha. A Geisha will remain in her okiya until she retires unless she acquires the funds to have her own apartment. A Meiko will be adopted by her ‘older sister’ during her training, meaning that a more experienced Geisha will help her as she progresses. The bond between a Meiko and a Geisha once they become sisters is sacred, much like marriage, and lasts until death. If a Meiko or Geisha ever dyed, their ‘Older’ or ‘Younger Sister’ would grieve as if a real sibling has passed on.
A Geisha is always seen wearing a kimono, and a Meiko will usually wear a more colorful and elaborate kimono. A Meiko’s kimono will not only have a large obi, but also long ‘pocket’ sleeves called furi that go all the way down to the ground. During a dance, a Meiko must wrap the sleeves several times around her arms to keep them from getting in the way. The style of a kimono can largely depend on the season and kind of event that the Geisha is attending.
While a Meiko will always be seen wearing thick white makeup on their face with red lips and red and black accents around their eyes and eyebrows. The white base makeup used to be made with lead, but it was eventually discovered that it would slowly poison the skin and resulted in terrible skin and back problems for older Geisha near the end of the Meiji Era and so it was replaced with rice powder. The process of applying a Meiko’s makeup takes a very long time and once they become a full Geisha they will wear a more subdued makeup style. However, Geishas still put on the full makeup for special occasions.
Geisha must sleep with their necks on small supports called takamakura instead of pillows so their elaborate hairstyle will not be destroyed during sleep. To get Meiko into this habit, her Mother will pour rice around the base of the support, so if her head moves the rice will stick to her hair and she will have to get it redone. Even without it getting messed up, a Meiko must get her hair redone once a week. The constant upkeep puts a strain on hair and it is common for Meiko to develop bald spots. Luckily, once she becomes a Geisha she will get to wear a wig instead.
Outsiders don’t know a lot of the Geisha community because they are very secretive. There are so many misconceptions about them that I can’t even begin to dispel them all. The only advice I can offer you if you want to learn more is to do your own research.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
No comments:
Post a Comment